O'Shea
O'Shea is a privately owned UK construction and property development company founded in 1966, delivering reinforced concrete frames, basements, and mixed-use developments from £10m to £300m+ in London and the South East via joint ventures and main contractor contracts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1966
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What O'Shea does
O'Shea (legal entity: C.J.O'Shea and Company Limited) is a privately owned, family-controlled UK construction and property development company founded in 1966 by Chairman Crohan O'Shea and currently led by Managing Director Rory O'Connor. The company delivers an integrated construction service spanning ground works, reinforced concrete frames (jump form, slip form, post tensioned, precast), shell and core, fit out, and refurbishment, with specialist expertise in high-rise and basement construction. It operates through two complementary channels: (1) joint venture property development with developers, housing associations, and local authorities on residential and mixed-use schemes, and (2) main contractor or design-and-build construction contracts. A wholly-owned subsidiary, C.J. O'Shea (Plant Hire) Ltd (St Albans), provides equipment hire to external contractors.
The business model is project-based and quote-priced, with individual contract values ranging from £10m to over £300m. The active development pipeline exceeds £1.75bn in London and the South East, including landmark projects such as The Stage (£750m mixed-use), Portal West (578 apartments, £168.5m contract), and Baltimore Tower (46-storey, 366 apartments). Revenue is generated from one-time construction contracts, joint venture development profit share, and usage-based plant hire. Reported annualised sales reached £119.1m in 2016 (43% growth), positioning O'Shea among the largest privately-owned construction and property development companies in London and the South East.
Customer concentration is anchored on a small set of repeat JV partners (notably Galliard Homes, Frogmore, Fitzroy Homes, City & Docklands) and institutional financial backers (Cain International, Cheyne Capital). The go-to-market is relationship-led with developers, housing associations, and local authorities; the company is ISO 9001/14001/45001 certified, CHAS-accredited, Constructionline-registered, and FORS Silver-rated. The company maintains no public-facing technology platform or developer API, and there is no AI/ML capability disclosed.
O'Shea firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- O'Shea
- Legal name
- C.J.O'Shea and Company Limited
- Website
- https://cjoshea.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1966
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- O'Shea is a privately owned UK construction and property development company founded in 1966, delivering reinforced concrete frames, basements, and mixed-use developments from £10m to £300m+ in London and the South East via joint ventures and main contractor contracts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
O'Shea industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Construction and Property Development Services
- NAICS
- New Multifamily Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (236116), Site Preparation Contractors (23891), Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction (237990), Land Subdivision (23721)
- SIC
- Operative Builders (1531), Heavy Construction Other Than Bldg Const - Contractors (1600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spec Home / Production Homebuilding (Tract & Volume Builders) (IMAFABAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Civil & Site Works EPC (Earthworks, Roads, Drainage, Foundations) (EUAEADAA), Piling & Deep Foundations (Driven, Bored, CFA, Micropiles) (IMAFAOAA)
Keywords
Where O'Shea is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
O'Shea business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Construction and Development: Revenue generated from construction contracts as main contractor or design and build contractor on residential and mixed-use developments. Projects range from £10m to over £300 million.
- Joint Venture Development: Revenue from joint venture partnerships with developers, landowners, and investors for property development projects
- Plant Hire: Equipment rental service providing concrete support systems, specialist plant, and general construction equipment to contractors and concrete frame companies in London
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
O'Shea product offering
Product offeringCore offering
O'Shea is a privately owned construction and property development company that delivers residential and mixed-use developments in London and the South East, primarily through joint venture partnerships with developers, landowners, and housing associations, and as main contractor or design and build contractor. Project sizes span from £10m to over £300m, encompassing ground works, RC frame construction (jump form, slip form, post tensioned, precast), shell and core works, fit out, refurbishment, and a separate plant hire subsidiary.
Product overview
O'Shea is a privately owned construction and property development company established in 1966, operating as a single unified service provider rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The company offers an integrated portfolio of services comprising Joint Venture Development, Construction Services (including Ground Works, Reinforced Concrete Frames, Shell and Core Works, and Fit Out Works), Refurbishment Services, and a Plant Hire subsidiary. Projects span £10m to over £300 million and include residential towers, mixed-use schemes, conversions, and refurbishments predominantly in London and the South East. The Plant Hire service (based at St Albans) operates both for internal group use and as a separate commercial service to external contractors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Joint Venture Development
Quantifiable outcome
- 43% increase in annualised sales to £119.1m in 2016
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use O'Shea
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
O'Shea technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
O'Shea partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Galliard HomescoreLong-standing joint venture partner on multiple residential and mixed-use developments in London. Key projects include Orchard Wharf (338 apartments, 23-storey tower), Portal West (578 apartments, £168.5m), Baltimore Tower, and numerous other developments across London and the South East.
- FrogmorecoreJoint venture partner on West Village development (9 luxury houses in Notting Hill) and Baltimore Tower project.
- Fitzroy HomesmajorJoint venture partner on West Heath Road (3 luxury apartments with private terraces, underfloor heating, Lutron lighting) and Flower Lane development.
- City & DocklandsmajorDevelopment partner on Canary Gateway (232 apartments) and Portal West projects.
- BUJ ArchitectsmajorArchitectural partner on multiple projects including Canary Gateway, Wickside, and other developments.
- Osel ArchitecturemajorArchitectural partner on The Oaks, Great Cumberland Place, and other projects.
- Galliard ArchitectsmajorArchitectural design partner on multiple projects including Portland Place, Abbey House, and others.
- WeWorkcoreAnchor tenant in The Stage development (Shoreditch, £750m project) taking 275,000 sq ft of office space.
- EquinoxcoreLandmark tenant in The Stage development - American luxury fitness group.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
O'Shea competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Berkeley Group: Major London and South East residential and mixed-use developer-builder. Closely comparable to O'Shea in geography and product type, although at materially larger scale and with public-market capital access.
- Barratt London: London residential arm of Barratt Developments, one of the UK's largest housebuilders, focused on London multifamily and mixed-use developments. Comparable customer and product focus to O'Shea, albeit at higher volume.
- Wates Group: Privately-owned UK construction and development group with significant residential and mixed-use activity in London and the South East. Comparable in private ownership structure and integrated construction-plus-development business model.
- Morgan Sindall Group: Public-listed UK construction and regeneration group with a strong London residential and mixed-use pipeline through Morgan Sindall Property Services and Galliford Try heritage businesses. Closest public-market comparable on integrated construction + property development.
- Galliard Homes: London residential developer and a documented O'Shea joint venture partner (Orchard Wharf, Portal West, Baltimore Tower). Functions both as a partner on O'Shea-led schemes and as a direct competitor for the same JV mandates with landowners.
- Higgins Group: London and South East construction and residential developer, comparable in private family-owned structure, regional concentration, and integrated construction-plus-development offering serving housing associations and private developers.
- Telford Homes: Pure-play London residential developer (now within CBRE Investment Management). Direct peer on London apartment-led multifamily development with JV-driven land model and comparable unit-volume class.
- Mount Anvil: London-focused residential developer-builder operating joint venture partnerships with major landowners in similar central London submarkets. Near-identical business model to O'Shea (JV-led London development) and a frequent co-bidder.
- Mace Group: Privately-held UK and international construction and development group operating across London high-rise, commercial and mixed-use. Directly comparable on complex London construction and on integrated development capability.
Broad incumbents
- C.J. O'Shea (Plant Hire) Ltd peers — Multiplex (UK): Global tier-one contractor with major London high-rise residential, commercial and mixed-use projects. Comparable on flagship London construction capability and JV development structures, though broader in geography and significantly larger in scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
O'Shea compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance9 records
O'Shea financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
O'Shea leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
O'Shea subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
O'Shea funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
O'Shea M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about O'Shea
What does O'Shea do?
O'Shea is a privately owned construction and property development company that delivers residential and mixed-use developments in London and the South East, primarily through joint venture partnerships with developers, landowners, and housing associations, and as main contractor or design and build contractor. Project sizes span from £10m to over £300m, encompassing ground works, RC frame construction (jump form, slip form, post tensioned, precast), shell and core works, fit out, refurbishment, and a separate plant hire subsidiary.
Is O'Shea a public or private company?
O'Shea is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was O'Shea founded?
O'Shea was founded in 1966.
Where is O'Shea based?
O'Shea is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does O'Shea make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Construction and Development is the primary driver. The others are joint Venture Development and plant Hire.
Who are O'Shea's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Berkeley Group, Barratt London, Wates Group, Morgan Sindall Group, Galliard Homes, Higgins Group, Telford Homes, Mount Anvil and Mace Group. C.J. O'Shea (Plant Hire) Ltd peers — Multiplex (UK) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does O'Shea have an API?
No public API is recorded for O'Shea.
What industry is O'Shea in?
O'Shea's product category is Construction and Property Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFABAD, Spec Home / Production Homebuilding (Tract & Volume Builders), with a secondary code of EUAEADAA, Civil & Site Works EPC (Earthworks, Roads, Drainage, Foundations). Its NAICS code is 236116 and its SIC code is 1531.